Can you explain your career path and what led you to become Director of BI Innovation at Barclays?
When I was at university, I swore I would never work in finance and yet here I am. I joined the world of finance at Bloomberg L.P., and discovered I enjoyed the corporate working environment and the industry. Most of my roles have been in the electronic trading space either in sales or support, so moving to innovation was a natural fit, given the evolution of FinTech over the last decade, Barclays’ commitment to innovation, and how exciting this space is..
As someone who has been in the FinTech sector for several years both as a board member at Neptune Networks and an Innovation Officer at Barclays, how have you seen the space change with regards to the work that you are doing, and with regards to the demographics of the companies?
The importance of technology and its adoption is widely accepted now and is seen as an important part of business strategy. Previously, moves towards ‘electronification’ were often viewed with suspicion. That has now changed. Within the industry, we’ve made great strides in encouraging greater diversity, both within large established institutions like Barclays, and the nimble scale up tech companies we collaborate with, however, corporately, we still can do more to drive this agenda forward.
Neptune Networks Ltd is a data connectivity network that provides bond pre-trade data; what drew you to this organization and for you to become a board member?
I was involved in the Neptune project from its inception, and had also started running a program at Barclays to provide women with board training. A series of circumstances and my interest in sitting on a board led me to putting my hand up for the board seat, which since the company was formed in July 2016.
How have you built your network and maintain these relationships?
Having a strong network is the most important thing you can do in your career. It provides coaching, opens doors to new opportunities, and allows you build out a virtual ‘board of directors’ for your own life who can help guide your decisions and provide support. I attend at least one MeetUp a week in the FinTech space – usually, ‘NYC Women in FinTech’ events due to the quality and attendance, which makes them ideal events for networking. I also cultivate relationships with people I admire who can help me develop, challenge my ideas, and provide inspiration.
Reach out to Krista on LinkedIn.